Even more new shops on the way for Corby town centre including a butcher, a baker and a waffle maker

Five more shops are on their way to Corby including a number of favourite high street staples.

Town centre bosses have been working on filling several vacant units in the town and have signed contracts with independent operators as well as bigger national chains.

Today, we can reveal that new shops in Corporation Street will include:

- A fruit and vegetable store, also featuring Asian foods and spices.

- A butcher and baker in the unit formerly occupied by Empire Hair and Beauty (who are now on Henley Balcony)

- A waffle and desert shop including retro gaming machines in the former Viral Entertainment unit

- Fireaway Pizza in the former Coral betting shop in George Street

- The Udder Guy gourmet burger bar opening in the empty Roberto’s store in Market Walk

The news comes off the back of the announcement of the opening of Deichmann shop, which launches at the end of the month.

Operator Sovereign Centros asset manager Tom Nuttall said: “The sixth form college opened earlier this month and our retailers nearby are already reporting an increase in footfall.

"When all of these shops open, Corporation Street will be fully let.”

Wilko in Corby is due to shut down shortly after the homewares business went bust, and the Post Office inside Heron Foods has also come to the end of its lease, but centre manager Dan Pickard said there could be positive news on the horizon.

"We have already got people wanting to look around the Wilko unit,” he said.

"And there could be some good news about the Post Office soon.”

Asked about why Corby continues to be so successful while other high streets are struggling, Dan said: “We know where out saturation point is with any particular type of retailer.

"Because we have the whole town centre we can move people around and find bigger or smaller units for them.

"We don’t have 20, 30, 40 different landlords to deal with. The rents are the most affordable in the area, as are the business rates.”

New contracts have also recently been signed with big-name stores including H&M, Card Factory, 3 Store and New Look. Sovereign Centroshave also said that they are in trying to work with the operators of Sports Direct over the large former Littlewoods unit in Queen’s Square. Sports Direct said three years ago that they would open a branch of the sportswear chain in the vacant unit but have so far left it shuttered.

Bosses have also held talks with the operators of the NCP car park at the Oasis Retail Centre where shoppers have recently complained they have been unfairly fined.

Signage has now been altered and town centre managers say there have been no new complaints for three weeks.

Last week this newspaper revealed that popular Irish bar Posh Paddy’s, which closed last month, had been taken over by the owners of Orbis Stamford.

We also reported that a new cigar outlet would open in Corporation Street.